(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a warning light for displaying at least one and preferably a number of different operating states of a technical device such as a machine, an installation, a vehicle or the like, having at least one luminous element for emitting a sequence of a number of illumination pulses within a specific time interval during the display of the specific operating state in which the illumination characteristic of the illumination pulses are determined by at least one illuminated parameter (P) such as brightness, illumination duration, frequency, color, direction of emission or the like.
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. 1.97 And 1.98
Warning lights, such as signaling columns or the like, for example, are at present already in use in a wide range of variants for signaling and/or displaying operating states on technical devices such as machines, installations or vehicles. They serve chiefly the purpose of signaling, in particular optically and/or acoustically, a malfunctioning of machines or installations, such that the operator is capable of detecting the same and eliminating it. To this end, these lights generally emit the warning, or display the respective operating state in the form of (colored) light and/or an acoustic signal. For example, there is provided for an operating state a display with green light, the aim being to signal that all is in order. To signal a critical operating state, use is frequently made of a display by means of red light, the aim being, for example, to signal that a fault is present, and/or that an area is not to be entered. Precisely in the case of faults or even dangerous states, it is very important that the operators actually do perceive the appropriate signals.
In order to enhance perception in the case of optical signaling devices the following measures have already been used so far: The critical operating state is generated by an increased brightness or by allround light such as, for example, a so-called spinning mirror light etc., or is signaled by a blinking light or by a flashing light.
For example, DE 10 2006 015 175 A1 exhibits a flashing light warning light, the light flash beam generated by means of LED. A flash of light is of a particularly short term and very bright illumination pulse which is separated by dark phases from a subsequent light flash or illumination pulses. Such blinking lights, flashing lights or allround lights alternate between bright and dark phases approximately once per second. In the process, a sequence of a number of illumination pulses is generated for the respective operating state to be displayed.
However, it has been shown in practice that even such measures are not sufficient to enhance perception, above all particularly of critical operating states since numerous different optical impressions act on the operators, for example in large workshops. For example, a number of machines with signaling columns are present, vehicles such as forklift trucks in large workshops, for example, also have flicking lights for indicating driving direction, and/or light pulses are generated during welding and are distributed in a workshop by reflections.